About Us

A smiling man and woman walking on the beach with surfboards, the man carrying a six-pack of beer, the woman wearing a black sports bra and leggings, with ocean in the background.

How it all started

Three friends who lived to surf became tired of seeing their beaches in the Basque Country drowning in plastic — so in 2016, they brewed an IPA to fund clean-ups. 

As the project gained momentum, they looked for new guardians capable of scaling the project. Ocean Born Foundation was launched, with Ocean Beer as its first venture: a beer that gives back to protect and restore the ocean. 

Our work.

Driven by Purpose. Built for Impact.

WHY ?

Because we envision a world where ocean and freshwater ecosystems thrive, where people live in better harmony with the planet, and where all people have access to clean water.

HOW ?

We build planet-friendly, purpose-driven brands that fund the conservation and restoration of marine and freshwater ecosystems — empowering everyday choices to support our blue planet’s regeneration.

The humans behind Ocean Born

Ocean Born is powered by humans driven by purpose, not payroll: a deliberately tiny core team, supported on a voluntary basis by a community of people contributing their expertise, networks and voices to a mission they deeply believe in, and asking for nothing in return.

More than an organisational chart, this is actually a thank-you note to a wonderful and eclectic team of marine scientists, purpose driven entrepreneurs, ocean advocates and artists who make this project possible.

Our Core Team

A core team kept deliberately small so Ocean Born stays fast, lean, and focused on what matters: getting funds to ocean organisations.

  • Man with sunglasses smiling and taking a selfie on a boat, ocean and mountains in the background.

    Romain Mari

    Co-founder & CEO
    LinkedIn

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length hair wearing a blazer and a necklace.

    Zoé Guislain

    Head of Development & Impact
    LinkedIn

Our Board

In line with our non-profit status, our Board Members dedicate their time and expertise entirely on a voluntary basis and receive no form of remuneration. They also provided the initial donation that made this whole adventure possible in the first place. We owe them everything.

  • A smiling man with short dark hair, wearing a dark long sleeve shirt, standing against a plain white wall.

    Gijs De Bruin

    Board Member - Co-founder & Secretary
    LinkedIn

  • A man with short dark hair, wearing a light blue button-up shirt and jeans, standing with arms crossed and smiling against a plain light background.

    Job van Schelven

    Board Member - Co-founder & Treasurer
    LinkedIn

  • A middle-aged man with short, light brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a white zip-up sweater, standing against a plain white wall.

    Nic Pannekeet

    Board Member - Co-founder & Chairperson
    LinkedIn

Our Ambassadors

Usually found near the ocean — sailing above or freediving below. Our ambassadors lend us their voice, their lens, and their love for the sea, asking for nothing in return.
They are the beating heart of our blue community.

Our Advisors

Incredible humans lending us decades of industry experience and their networks — entirely pro bono. Not just because they believe in the mission, but because they believe we can succeed to build Ocean Born into a longterm funding mechanism for the ocean space.
And they just might help us get there!